The Community Trees Matter Network is asking anyone who lives, works, studies, recreates, or would like to help the urban forest in Saanich, BC, to please consider sending this letter to council@saanich.ca, or write your own.

This letter could be used as a conversation starter or draft template for anyone wishing to advocate for trees in their city, town or municipality and includes a link to a fabulous video produced by the City of Halifax that clearly shows the true value of trees.

Dear Mayor and Council,

Please consider a substantial increase in Saanich’s budget for parks and urban forests this year.

Many studies have proven the vital importance of trees and green space for maintaining and improving human health. Many of the people who died in the 2021 heat dome lived in areas that were not cooled by mature tree-lined streets.

The urban forest is well worth investing in. It helps clean our air of pollutants and particulate matter. It buffers noise. It reduces flooding, by slowing the fall of rain on the earth, and then channeling rainwater into the ground. In summer it cools neighbourhoods by up to 8 degrees Celsius. It reduces the aging of the pavement it shades. Where mature trees grow, studies have also noted reduced crime. In short, it saves money. Halifax estimates each dollar spent on the urban forest saves the city $8!

Our trees have been negatively affected by perhaps 15 years of summer drought, as well as varying degrees of winter droughts. This worsens the effects of pests and disease. We desperately need to dedicate more money to maintain these essential components of our public health, beauty and wellbeing.

Many Saanich residents felt betrayed this past year, when Saanich cut down more than 70 mature trees on Shelbourne Street alone. Yet Saanich still plans to cut down 45 more. Some felt this plan made a mockery of Saanich’s urban forest strategy, as well as its climate strategy.

The promised three trees to ‘replace’ each one will take many decades to grow to that size — if they survive. Mature trees are much stronger and more resilient than saplings because they have large, well-developed root systems.

Saanich needs dedicated staff that can ensure that all departments work to consider alternatives to cutting down our trees. We need to maintain and increase the number of skilled and knowledgeable staff who can work with volunteers to maintain the health of public trees despite our now-common extreme weather events. Saanich’s urban forest staff do a great job, but it would be helpful to double staff size to do the important work that really needs to be done.

As you must be aware, to quote from Saanich’s own Climate plan for Ecosystems (page 78 in page footer, or about page 85 in the PDF document): “1000 times more carbon is stored in a large tree than a small tree.”

The head of the UN has described climate change right now as being a “Code Red for humanity”. We have seen unprecedented disasters in our province in just the past few years — hundreds of deaths from heat domes, atmospheric rivers and mudslides. Rivers are drying up.It is high time to take drastic action. Planting trees has been identified as one of the best tools for mitigating climate change, but retaining mature trees is even more important.

So keeping our mature trees and planting lots more must move closer to the top of Saanich’s to-do list.Please ensure we have enough money in the budget to fund the actions that are urgently needed. By taking such visionary action, Saanich could become a leader in municipal response to climate emergency.

Sincerely,
(Your name here)